The present invention relates to an image reader and more specifically to an image reader for digitizing images recorded on photographic films.
As is well known, an image reader, such as a film scanner, is generally used to digitize images recorded on photographic films with high quality.
With a photographic film which, like IX240, has a magnetic recording section, film images can be digitized easily by the use of shooting information recorded on the magnetic recording section of the film at the time of shooting, such as trimming information, image size information, light source information, etc., as disclosed in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 6-98092.
In general, a solid-state imaging device, such as a CCD, is used to read in images recorded on photographic films.
Thus, in many cases, the range of gradation of read images is narrower than that of on-film images; mere information recorded at the time of shooting is not enough to provide satisfactory digitized images.
In order to provide digitized images as users desire, it is required to change the integration time (charge storage time) or the gradation conversion characteristic (characteristic of output relative to input) of the solid-state imaging device each time an image is read and digitized.
In particular, it is almost impossible to digitize an image again under the same conditions as when it was digitized.
Similarly, same can be said with respect to information such as trimming information set by a user.